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OMAHA, NEBRASKA - JUNE 18: Zac Cowan #26 of the LSU Tigers in action against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the NCAA College World Series at Charles Schwab Field on June 18, 2025 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Kristen Young/LSU/University Images via Getty Images)
We are wrapping up our position preview, and we finally turn to the LSU bullpen. I’m going to try and save on the grand generalizations or predictions on the quality of the pen because you just never know until games start. For what it’s worth, Jay Johnson says it’s the deepest bullpen he’s had at LSU, but I’ll let you decide if you feel Johnson actually believes it or if it’s just good ole preseason coach speak.
Returning Pitchers
8 Gavin Guidry (No stats, missed all of 2025 with a back injury)
17 Mavrick Rizy (24 appearances, 4.74 ERA, 24.s IP, 29 Ks/19 BBs)
26 Zac Cowan (3-3, 22 appearances/2 starts, 7 saves, 2.94 ERA, 52 IP, 60 Ks/12BBs)
27 Jaden Noot (2-1, 20 appearances/5 starts, 1 save, 4.13 ERA, 32.2 IP, 44 Ks/15 BBs)
40 Grant Fontenot (0-1, 6 appearances, 7.20 ERA, 5 IP, 5 Ks/1BB)
43 Conner Benge (1-1, 17 appearances, 6.75 ERA, 16 IP, 15 Ks/13 BBs)
45 Devin Sheerin (No stats, missed all of 2025 with a torn ACL)
If you want to believe in Jay Johnson’s optimism regarding his bullpen, the collection of returning talent is a good place to start. Gavin Guidry is healthy and reports out of fall and preseason scrimmages suggest this is the best he’s been.
Mavrick Rizy led LSU with 24 appearances a season ago, and the hope is he’s a high-leverage arm this season. Rizy is a draft-eligible sophomore who throws 100, so a strong season might mean he’s off to pro ball in a few months.
Zac Cowan is back for his senior season. He was nails for LSU out of the bullpen early on, kinda faltered toward the end of SEC play, was rocked by Little Rock in the decisive game of the Baton Rouge Regional, but finished strong in the CWS semifinals by going 5.1 innings of one-run ball against Arkansas. This year Cowan could work his way into the rotation if necessary, or he could pitch twice for LSU coming out of the pen.
The 2025 season was the first time we really got to see Jaden Noot pitch. Noot missed all of 2023 due to Tommy John, and just threw one inning in 2024. Last season, he made 20 appearances, including five starts, and found his stride toward the end of the season. Noot struck out 22 over the final 14 innings that he pitched. He started against Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament and pitched well (4 innings, three hits, one earned run, 2 BB, 7 Ks) and he was the first one out of the pen to relieve Cowan in LSU’s dramatic comeback win over Arkansas in Omaha; Noot retired the only three batters he faced and hopefully that serves as a springboard for a big 2026.
I’m not sure what to expect from Grant Fontenot who heads into his fifth year of collegiate baseball with just 16 innings pitched. He only threw five innings for the Tigers last season.
Conner Benge was the talk of the fall and preseason practices going into last season, but it never really materialized once the regular season began. Benge made 17 appearances, none coming after April 22’s 13-3 loss to Northwestern State.
The next time we see Devin Sheerin pitch for the Tigers will be the first time. The highly regarded transfer from Mount St. Mary’s didn’t pitch at all for LSU in 2025 because he tore his ACL playing basketball in the summer of ‘24. Physically, Sheerin profiles as this season’s Chase Shores. He’s a big, imposing presence on the mound (6’5”/255) though not quite as tall as Shores (then again, who is?) but has a fastball that can touch 100 and a wipeout slider. LSU tried to get Shores going as a starter to mixed results, but he was able to reinvent himself into a closer and got the final out for LSU against Coastal Carolina. Expect Sheerin to contend for the closer role.
New Pitchers: Freshmen and JUCO
35 Reagan Ricken
36 Ethan Plog
39 Jonah Aase
52 Zion Theophilus
97 Marcos Paz
Reagan Ricken was someone that LSU had to sweat out the MLB Draft over, but made it to campus. A righty from California, Ricken should contend for a rotation role either next season or in ‘28.
Ethan Plog is the lone JUCO transfer, coming in from McLennan Community College and has apparently made a name for himself in the fall. Plus he’s a lefty, and Jay’s going to need some left-handed options coming out of the pen.
Jonah Aase is going to take a redshirt this season, while Zion Theophilus (which is an INCREDIBLE name) is maybe a reliever someday for the Tigers.
Marcos Paz is someone to buy some stock in now. Paz got Tommy John and that kept him from beginning his professional career straight out of high Schoo. Paz has a lot of oomph to his pitches and could factor into the back end of the bullpen as he builds back strength.
New Pitchers: Transfers
28 Danny Lachenmayer* (2-4, 24 appearances, 9 saves, 2.37 ERA, 38 IP, 56 Ks/18 BBs)
30 Dax Dathe** (8-1, 15 appearances/13 starts, 2.99 ERA, 72.1 IP, 98 Ks/31 BBs)
34 Santiago Garcia*** (3-0, 24 appearances, 4 saves, 4.20 ERA, 30 IP, 40 Ks/19 BBs)
*At North Dakota State
**At Angelo State
***At Oregon
Danny Lachenmayer and Santiago Garcia are both lefties that were top relievers at North Dakota State and Oregon respectively. Now they’ll try to carve out roles in a crowded bullpen. Garcia made the most appearances for an Oregon team that hosted a regional and he was also high school teammates with Steven Milam.
Dax Dathe is the definition of a journeyman with stops at Houston (as a position player), Grayson College (a JUCO school), Texas Tech, and D-II Angelo State. He went 17-5 over two seasons as a starter at Angelo State.
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